Gentleman racers, start your engines
Ferrari’s international customer-racing series to hit New Zealand. David Linklater reports.
The Ferrari Challenge will hit the track in New Zealand for the first time ever at Hampton Downs in the Waikato next month, as part of the Ferrari Festival on April 14-15.
The Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Series is FIA-certified, factory-supported international motor racing... but not as you might know it. It’s run by Ferrari’s Corse Clienti customer-racing division, with three separate global series happening through the year: Europe (the oldest, launched in 1993), North America and Asia-Pacific. All three meet for a grand final at the end of every year.
There’s only one team: Ferrari Corse Clienti, which manages the series and takes care of all logistics.
Drivers can only participate through a Ferrari dealership: they pay an entry fee and compete on an ‘‘arrive and drive’’ basis. The Asia Pacific Series is open only to ‘‘gentlemen drivers’’ (an old-school racing term – there’s actually one female driver in the 2018 lineup).
That means there are no professional drivers on the track, just a lot of very wealthy Ferrari customers. Although some have many years experience and some very quick lap times under their belts.
There’s only one car: every time Ferrari creates a new V8 sports model for the road, it also creates a new-generation Challenge racer. The latest is the 488 Challenge, powered by Ferrari’s latest 3.9-litre turbo V8. The cars are very fast but the engines are also sealed, meaning that victory can only be achieved via driver skill and careful car setup. An average race field comprises 30 cars.
While the cars are identical out of the box, the level of driver skill and/or experience is not. So there are three classes in the Asia Pacific Series, which is appropriate to the club-racing spirit central to the series. While the drivers are highly competitive on track, the idea is that they enjoy a shared experience off it. The Challenge fee covers everything from fuel and tyres to expert tuition to private changing rooms... even laundry services for race gear. There are over 100 Ferrari support staff at any given round.
The current Asia Pacific series includes drivers from 15 different nations, including two flying under Kiwi colours: David Dicker and Grant Baker.
Last month, we talked to Antonello Coletta in Italy: he’s the global head of Corse Cliente, with offices based right in the middle of Ferrari’s legendary Fiorano circuit.
Why NZ? With the Challenge travelling all the way to Australia as part of the high-profile Melbourne F1 round in March, it’s convenient to get the series to Hampton Downs just two weeks later.
But it’s part of a larger strategy for the series, says Coletta: ‘‘In NZ and Australia, there exists a market for Ferrari racing that is completely unknown and unexploited. The passion for motorsport is important and it’s definitely the time to come.
‘‘Today, we have these three important series in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. But there are many domestic zones within those regions with a real passion for motoring. Next year I think it’s 90 per cent certain that we will start a domestic series in the UK, for example; our plan is to improve our activities [in other regions].
‘‘It’s a great opportunity to race in Melbourne with F1, for visibility and appeal.’’
Whether NZ will become a regular part of the Asia Pacific Series depends on a sound business case - and presumably how the Hampton Downs weekend goes. Corse Clienti is working through its 2019 Challenge calendar as you read this.
‘‘Our idea is to create atmosphere around Ferrari racing in general,’’ says Coletta. ‘‘It’s impossible to think that we can have one race and create a championship. But my idea is to create interest around Ferrari activities with these races in Australia and NZ, get some contacts and customer prospects and take the opportunity that is there.’’
The Ferrari Festival at Hampton Downs will be open to the public, with displays of classic and modern Ferraris, family entertainment and the obligatory pop-up Ferrari Store. The caps and keyrings will be plentiful (but probably not cheap). It will also be the first NZ appearance of Ferrari’s new Portofino convertible.
If you enjoy the day and fancy a go on track as part of the Challenge, how much will you have to save? Anybody can be a customer, after all.
Just to get you started, last year’s entry fee was NZ$80,000 for the season (or around $13,000 for an individual round) plus $250,000 for maintenance and logistics. Believe it or not, that’s cheap motor racing - especially in a proper Ferrari racer with official support crew and some casual clothing (yes, really) thrown in.